Portable containers for dispensing fluids or flowable material (hereinafter “fluids”) are generally known as semi-rigid containers that can be selectively opened or closed so that the solution retained in the container may be dispensed. These containers are herein termed “semi-rigid” because, although being formed of somewhat rigid materials, they give to pressure in order to allow their interior volume to be temporarily decreased to dispense some of the fluid retained therein. These types of portable dispensers are very popular for carrying around hand sanitizer, hand cleaner, and hand lotion.
The prior art personal dispensers generally target all potential users of the dispenser and therefor take a shape that is acceptable for all types of use. Many of the personal dispensers of the prior art are small enough to fit in a purse or pocket and are also provided with flat bottom surfaces and rather abrupt edges so as to be readily received for use on a counter or shelf. By configuring personal dispensers in this manner a large cross section of consumers is targeted, including both those who desire to carry a personal dispenser on their person and those who wish to leave the dispenser at a convenient location for use (e.g. bathroom counter top). Because present dispensers are designed to simultaneously accommodate these different types of use (counter top use and on-the-go use), they fail to provide features that would be particularly beneficial for those individuals desiring only portable use.
As already mentioned, the personal dispensers of the prior art have abrupt edges. These edges can make the dispenser feel uncomfortable in a pocket, and can make it difficult to insert or remove the dispenser from a pocket. Particularly, the bottom surface of prior art dispensers is flat, for resting on a counter, and this flat bottom surface is opposite the dispensing end at which the fluid is dispensed. As a result of this construction, it is the flat bottom surface that is first inserted into a pocket, in order to maintain the dispensing end above the bottom and thereby avoid or at least limit any potential for the dispenser to leak. The flat bottom surface and the abrupt edges that define it are not conducive to insertion into a pocket. The typical abrupt edges defining the general area around the dispensing end are likewise not conducive to removal from a pocket.
Sharp corners or edges on such dispensers also provide points of concentrated forceful impact against an individual's body, which can give rise to significant bruising commensurate with the contact force. For example, outdoor sports enthusiasts and military personnel may find themselves in situations where the dispenser is interposed between the individual's body and the ground, a tree or the like, in forceful interengagement. Sharp or abrupt edges or corners in even a flexible container are necessarily hard or rigid, and forceful contact with the same is often injurious.
Many individuals who use personal dispensers do not necessarily need a dispenser that can rest on a counter, and could benefit from a personal dispenser more specifically tailored for pocket transport, and absent rigid edges or corners. These include hunters, hikers, campers, military personnel, and, indeed, anyone on the go that might need a personal dispenser for dispensing a particular product. The product might be hand cleaner, hand sanitizer, sun screen, bug repellant, or any other fluid.
In addition to the need for personal dispensers more tailored for pocket transport, there is a need for personal dispensers with other constructions that aid in use and which might be particularly useful for people on the go that do not necessarily need a personal dispenser that rests on a counter.